Help Me Pick a Miter Saw

[Ken Frohnert]

I finished up a new shop area and it is small (12x20) I have made a lot of my bigger tools mobile. I have a older Dewalt 10" miter saw that I have used the heck out of and still runs okay. However, I would like to get a new miter saw to put on a small dedicated table/stand. I will have my old Dewalt for the outside rough projects. Due to space limits I believe a 12" Non-Slider is the best option since they not as long in depth and will not stick out as far. That will allow me to cut up to 6". And perhaps the non-sliders are more accurate than a slider. I have a 70s vintage Delta Unisaw and for cutting larger I believe I could use a sled. But 6" should cover a lot of my cuts - I am trying to learn turning now and so a lot of my cuts are smaller stuff right now. Plus the money I save by not buying a slider could be put to a nice sled for the TS - I see Incra makes one that looks nice.

My problem is deciding what 12" saw to buy. I have read so many review and opinions that I think I am more confused than before I read them. May be you just like what you have - I don't know. I kind of narrowed it down to 3 -- Bosch 3912, Dewalt 716, and Makita LS1221. Since I am going to build a dedicated table I want to buy a very durable long lasting saw that is accurate and easy to use.

I will try to set up a poll - but would appreciate any narrative comments base on your experience/knowledge.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Bosch GCM12SD. It's a 12" glider, but no bigger than a static saw. My advice is to at least go and try one. I was sold on it the minute I played with one. Everyone who sees mine wants one. A real innovation.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have a Dewalt 716. I use a Forrest Chopmaster blade on it. Dewalt recently came out with a LED light option that is used in place of a laser.
The LED light serves 2 purposes. It lights up the area under the saw blade & casts a shadow of the blade on the work piece.

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWS7085-Miter-Saw-Light-System/dp/B000X9EDD8/ref=as_li_wdgt_js_ex?&linkCode=wsw&tag=wwwnorthwinda-20

[Steve Rosenlund]

Either the kapex if you can afford it or the new Bosch glider

[Craig Michael]

Dewalt is a great saw. I'm not a fan of most dewalt tools but that is a great saw. It has the best cutting capacity height against the fence, accurate, light compared to others, etc.

Those recommending a kapex are crazy to me. The dewalt retail is $365 on amazon, you can get them with light use on craigslist sometime for under $250. The kapex is a nice saw but it's a nice saw with a ridiculous price. A perfect 45% cut is a 45% cut on a $200 saw as it is a $1300 kapex. We are not talking about a little premium over a Bosch 12" double compound miter or Dewalt, but a 300% plus premium. He said he doesn't need width capacity, so a slider is not necessary. The Dewalt double compound especially give you a better thickness capacity and a much better capacity cutting height against the fence.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I had a friend get the DW - the only one of the list with which I am familiar. Seems to be doing great after 2 years........went through all the calibration checks on my last visit, and everything was still dead-nuts.

BTW - I also told him he had no choice other than the Forrest Chopmaster. He doesn't know blades from shinola, and that's the one I wanted on the saw when I came to "help" him with projects. :D

[Chris Lee]

If the budget allows i would recomend the Kapex. It has a smaller footprint then any 12" i believe but a similar cutting capacity. I love that i can put it right up against the wall. Saves a lot of space in my small shop.

[Jim Andrew]

Not familiar with the Kapex. But my Makita tools last better than any other brand. Still have an old Mak battery drill that would work with new batteries. Replaced the batteries twice, and found a new drill was cheaper than new batteries.

[Ken Frohnert]

The Bosch has a big goose-egg - zero. When I was doing the poll was thinking that the Bosch may win and the Dewalt would get the least with the Makita in the middle.

I have used the heck out of my 10" Dewalt and it still cuts good - re-roofed 1 large run-in shed, built 1 medium sized run-in shed, built 1 small run-in shed, built a 12x20 shop, built a 26x40 garage, and did numerous small projects with it. My dad loves it - thinks it is a super tool. So perhaps other folks have had a good experience with the bigger Dewalt miter saws too. From some of my reading on the net I kind of was under the impression that the Bosch and Makita were slightly better made. But perhaps that is not the case.

BTW-Thanks for suggesting the Bosch Glider - but I think for me a fixed 12" will work. The gliders are really neat the way they are engineered.
On the Kapex front - I cannot justify 1,000+ for a miter saw for my hobby use. I am sure they are awesome but for my skills and hobby use there is no way.

I am really comfortable with any of the 3 saws in the poll - so unless some write-in votes really heavily recommend some other (justifiable for my use) saw I will probably get the one that wins the poll for my shop. Really looking forward to seeing the final poll outcome. Thanks for the input and please get other members to take the poll and post - I really want to get a good cross-section of members opinions.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Possibly the Bosch has zero is because it's been made obsolete by the glider. Or the sample size is too small!

[Ken Frohnert]

Mark - possible that the Bosch Glider is causing the zero. Because I thought it had a real shot to win.

[Ray Newman]

My standard answer: take a culture trip to several tool dealers, Big Box stores, etc., and handle and examine the 12” miter saws on display. Some may not be comfortable to your grip or have other design features that you will not like. Nothing beats a hands-on examination and manipulation of the controls.

If I was looking to replace my old Tried and True 10” Hitachi CMS, I would seriously look at the new Bosch GCM 12SD,12" Dual-Bevel Glide Miter Saw.

I looked at one at a recent tool show and it seemed very well made. http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Tools/Pages/BoschProductDetail.aspx?pid=GCM12SD Probably a bit more saw than you feel that you need, but it will do more than a non-slider….

[Timothy Wolf]

I bought my makita 1221 at a pawn shop for something like $110 I needed something bigger than the ten inch blade I had on my old delta for a flooring project I was working on. The saw looked brand new not a scratch on it. My original plan was to sell it when I finished my project and see if I could get $175-200 for it but it worked so well I decided to keep it and got rid of the delta. I also have a friend that has owned a hardwood flooring company for the past 6 years and he has used the same Makita 1221 everyday on the job since day 1. His saw is still going strong. I highly recommend it. I can also say I had accuracy issues with a Dewalt I used to own, but that may have been user error as much as a design flaw.

[Ken Frohnert]

While the Makita closed the gap and is now pulling ahead by a good margin. Dewalt in 2nd and the Bosch got a vote. Bosch got a vote.
I looked at the Makita a while back and that was a nice saw too. What a horse race!

[Jim Finn]

I love Makita tools but my 12" slider is a Dewalt that I bought in 2000. It still cuts true and I have only replaced the blade twice in 12 years. My friend has a Bosch slider and I find it awkward to use when setting up bevel cuts. If I were to replace my DeWalt I would get a 10" slider (Dewalt) I find I do not need the 12" saw, a 10" would work for me.

[Mike Cruz]

Ken, hard to say whick one you "should" purchase. I can say that I have the Dewalt and like it just fine. Mine has a bit of an abrupt start up, but I'm happy with the results. I didn't vote in the pole only because, again, I don't know that it is the one that you "should" get, rather that that is the one I have. Of course, I could say that you should get it based on mysery loving company...;)

[Mike Heidrick]

The dewalt has the LED light option that casts a shadow line over the blade on the work. Its perfect every time and no adjustmenets ever. Only saw out there that has that. You can see teh teeth EXACTLY where you can cut. It is the best invention on a MS I have seen. I own a 717 10" SCMS. Also own a Hitachi C12LSH. I would take my 10" Dewally anyday over my Hitachi.

[keith micinski]

I think the Makita or the Dewalt would be a win for you but I will say I have heard about that light on the Dewalt and everyone raves about it. I would like to try one out but my next saw is going to be the 7 1/2 slider from Makita which dealt doesn't make so I don't want to fall in love with it and then have a decision on my hands.

[Ken Frohnert]

Thanks for all the input. Looks like a tight race between the Dewalt and the Makita.

[Bill Wyko]

My shop is 12x20 too. I use a Kapex by Festool. The rods for the sliding feature are out in front instrad of behind the saw so it takes up less space. I'll have to clean up the shop and post some pictures of my layout. Be sure to post pics of your tool placement in your shop. Guys like us need to use space a effeciently as we can.

[Mike Heidrick]

Just to be clear - the LED light was an add-on for my 717. Looks like they are about $42. Took about 5 min to install and 3 screws. The new SCMS from dewalt my have it built in now.

[frank shic]

i have a dewalt 706 but i wish i had gotten the version without the tilt - it's just another thing that can go out of adjustment over time and a feature that i've almost never used. never wished i had a slider... way too much room to give up!

[Ken Frohnert]

I really appreciate the input. With 60 votes now I believe we are getting a pretty good cross-section now. From the votes it looks like either the DW or Makita would be a good choice.

Frank - I agree with you on the slider - I just cannot afford the space either. They are nice though. The Festool is nice too but I cannot afford the $s.

[Curt Harms]

I really appreciate the input. With 60 votes now I believe we are getting a pretty good cross-section now. From the votes it looks like either the DW or Makita would be a good choice.

Frank - I agree with you on the slider - I just cannot afford the space either. They are nice though. The Festool is nice too but I cannot afford the $s.

I know nothing about them but Hitachi has an interesting sliding mechanism. The saw can move on the rails rather than the rails moving sorta like the Kapex I think. Would there be accuracy problems with a some wear? I don't know.
http://www.lowes.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&cId=SEARCH&productId=3107745&cm_mmc=SCE_gps-_-gps-_-gps-_-Hitachi%2012%22%20Sliding%20Dual%20Compound%20Mite r%20Saw%20with%20Laser%20Marker&CAWELAID=1024206803

Normally $499, I was in a Lowes a couple weeks ago and it was $399.

[Jerome Hanby]

Gets good reviews, but all the comments about dust collection make it seem pretty lack luster. Wonder how well typical dust collections methods for miter saws would work with it?


I know nothing about them but Hitachi has an interesting sliding mechanism. The saw can move on the rails rather than the rails moving sorta like the Kapex I think. Would there be accuracy problems with a some wear? I don't know.
http://www.lowes.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&cId=SEARCH&productId=3107745&cm_mmc=SCE_gps-_-gps-_-gps-_-Hitachi 12" Sliding Dual Compound Miter Saw with Laser Marker&CAWELAID=1024206803 (http://www.lowes.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&cId=SEARCH&productId=3107745&cm_mmc=SCE_gps-_-gps-_-gps-_-Hitachi%2012)

Normally $499, I was in a Lowes a couple weeks ago and it was $399.

[Curt Harms]

Gets good reviews, but all the comments about dust collection make it seem pretty lack luster. Wonder how well typical dust collections methods for miter saws would work with it?

Judging by what I've read, dust collection on Sliders excepting the Kapex is a weak point. My only experience is with a discontinued Delta non-slider. DC on it is pretty good but again, it's fixed so it's easy to put DC behind the fence and the blade-to-DC distance is never too great.

[Jerome Hanby]

One of my Wife's segmented bowl turning heroes uses a Kapex so I have the green light to buy one when I can cook up the funds for one. One of these days...


Judging by what I've read, dust collection on Sliders excepting the Kapex is a weak point. My only experience is with a discontinued Delta non-slider. DC on it is pretty good but again, it's fixed so it's easy to put DC behind the fence and the blade-to-DC distance is never too great.

[Curt Harms]

One of my Wife's segmented bowl turning heroes uses a Kapex so I have the green light to buy one when I can cook up the funds for one. One of these days...

Turning and now Festool? Have a attraction to $lippery $lopes, Jerome? :D :D Kapex is a great saw from everything I've read.

[Ken Frohnert]

Looks like a tie between DW and Makita. I guess either one is probably a safe bet.

Curt that Hitachi is really cool. I was watching them cutting a dado cut with the thing. Is is almost like a reverse RAS - it looks like you cut backwards. That would solve the depth issue but it would stick forward about 3 foot. Before I buy the DW or Makita I do want to check this out. I wonder if you angled it to 46 degrees how far forward it would come. Maybe it could be stored that way when not being used and it would not take up as much space to the front. My shop is only 12 feet wide and I have all my power tools along the other wall so I probably only have 9 feet width. That is really an interesting saw. At 399 it is comparable with the DW and Makita.